Ceremonial Sword, Sheath and Belt of Doge Francesco Morosini, 1689
St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice

These precious objects from the treasury of the Basilica of St. Mark were donated by Pope Alexander VIII Ottoboni to Doge Francesco Morosini in 1689. The sword and sheath are made of gilded silver, the former measuring more than five and a half feet in length without the sheath, and just under two inches in width. Both sword and sheath have suffered considerable damage and several small parts have been lost. The blade of the sword showed signs of corrosion and the gilded silver had become tarnished. The belt, made of brocade cloth with gold thread and a silver buckle, was marked by the corrosive effects of dust and stains. The sword, sheath and belt were taken apart, cleaned of all corrosions and consolidated separately. On the blade a special protective coating was applied.